News About the News

Jarvis begins his article with an interesting point: the media is obsessed with the media. I've noticed this too watching the News Hour or one of the network news. I can't say the same about cable since I don't get cable although I would image it would be in the same situation. This topic would be interesting if, say, I were a journalist, a writer, or someone who worked in the media industry. However, the vast majority of Americans do not work in the media industry. Perhaps it says something about the audience the media is trying to reach--people who are interested in watching news, about the news, for its own sake. I've noticed this trend Online and in magazines, too, although it is easier to avoid these kinds of articles Online or in a magazine than on TV. I think there are too many stories about the media on the media.

Going back to Jarvis' article, I liked how he supported his argument with diagrams and pictures. As a visual person, I find aids of that type helpful and engaging. Otherwise, I'm less likely to finish an article especially if it's especially long or complex.

Jarvis makes an excellent point that much of the news is reactionary. Once a story is public, you can usually find it on TV, on the Internet, in newspapers, and in periodicals. After a few days, you will start to see these various outlets react to each other, sometimes harshly, crudely, and outrageouly. For example, MSNBC might have a story about how Fox News covered the event and vice versa. This reactionary reporting may be happening due the number of news outlet available in our modern world. It may also be because many outlets have to fill 24 hours worth of time with stories. Jarvis has written a thoughtful, incisive article that confirms some of my own observations.